Jimmy White confident of return to form, admits regret over ‘schoolboy error’ late-season technique change

Jimmy White was confident of making his dream return to the Crucible, after beating Judd Trump earlier in the season, but his bid ended in disappointment with defeat to Martin O’Donnell in the second round of World Championship qualifying.

Despite his recent confidence, White blames himself for the loss as he made a late-season tweak to his technique.

White went on to explain that it was a misjudged decision to tinker with his technique.

“I made a huge mistake,” he said. “I changed something with my technique two weeks ago. It’s something I needed to do, I found this problem, I’ve always had it, I’ve been tinkering with it for a while but I changed it two weeks ago.”

Commenting on his defeat to O’Donnell, White said: “I was all over the place. I was going to my old technique, using my new one. I got frustrated. It was a nightmare. One of the worst experiences I’ve had on a snooker table. It was the wrong time to do it. A schoolboy error.”

While refusing to go explain the change in detail, White did insist that he is not done with this latest setback.

“I’ll be winning tournaments next year,” he said. “It’s just getting used to it. I can do things I haven’t done for 25 years on the snooker table.”

White’s confidence underpins a genuine belief that he remains a contender.

He continued: “I still amaze myself. I still make 147s. I play in exhibitions and can make five or six centuries. I’ve never been so good in practice. I know practice means nothing but if I didn’t think I could still win, I’d go and play golf.”

White gave no indication that he sees the end of his career on the horizon.

He underlined that point: “I’m far from finished yet. To retire is to expire. One day, if you ask me those questions, I’ll be sat down in a golf club and I’ll be able to answer them but now I’m still very much involved and improving.”

Continuing that theme, White went on: “When you take away that high of competing away from a sportsman. That is what I still love. I love competing. That high you get of trying to beat someone. Especially me at my age trying to beat all these youngsters. It’s great.”

‘The Whirlwind’ is widely regarded as one of the most talented players to have ever played the game, and continues to compete at the highest level in snooker at the age of 60.

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